2024 Nissan Rogue vs 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2024 Nissan Rogue underwent its first major styling update since the 2021 model year, maintaining its lineup of S, SV, SL, and Platinum trims. The new design featured a larger grille that seamlessly integrated with the stack headlights and daytime running lights, which were signature elements of the Rogue. The rear fascia saw minor changes with redesigned inner taillight elements. The Rogue SV received a new 18-inch wheel design, while the Platinum trim boasted a new 19-inch machined-finish wheel design and additional black exterior trim, including an optional black roof. Inside, the Rogue's dashboard was updated to accommodate a new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, enhancing the vehicle's premium feel. The Rogue SV models received new materials throughout the interior, and the Platinum trim offered leather seats with a new Chestnut brown color and quilted stitching, contributing to a more upscale cabin experience.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan presented a premium appearance, often perceived as more designed than its non-European competitors. Standard LED headlights and taillights, along with an illuminated grille light line, adorned the front of the SEL R-Line trim. The model name was prominently displayed in all-caps at the rear, accompanied by the classic Volkswagen badge. The base Tiguan S was limited to grayscale colors, while higher trims offered more color options, albeit with specific interior and exterior combinations. The Tiguan S featured heated front seats and cloth upholstery, while the SE trim added leatherette upholstery and dual-zone climate control. The SE R-Line included a panoramic sunroof, and the SEL R-Line upgraded to real leather seats, front-seat ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and three-position driver’s seat memory.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue was powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, part of Nissan's VC-Turbo lineup, which allowed it to vary its compression ratio for optimal power or fuel economy. This engine delivered 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque, outperforming many of its competitors' engines, including the Honda CR-V's 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and the Subaru Forester's 2.5-liter boxer-four. However, the Rogue's continuously variable transmission (CVT) was less impressive, often slow to transfer power to the wheels. The Rogue's suspension was firmer than expected, affecting ride quality without enhancing handling. Despite these drawbacks, the Rogue offered a quiet cabin, though the engine's droning exhaust note was a downside.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan came standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with Volkswagen's 4Motion all-wheel drive available for an additional cost on lower trims and standard on the top trim. The AWD option slightly reduced fuel economy, with the base Tiguan S achieving 25 mpg combined. The Tiguan SEL R-Line's power delivery was inconsistent, with turbo and transmission lag in some scenarios. The steering was light and rubbery, but visibility and handling were commendable, making the vehicle feel more maneuverable. Road noise was minimal, and the ride was comfortable, though seating surfaces drew some complaints.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue offered competitive passenger space, with differences mainly in legroom compared to rivals like the Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson. The Rogue provided 36.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 74.1 cubic feet with them folded, less than the CR-V or Tucson but more than the Subaru Forester. The optional Divide-N-Hide system allowed for flexible cargo configurations, and a molded-in space for grocery bags was a practical addition. The Rogue also featured a power liftgate on SV models and a motion-activated liftgate on SL and Platinum trims. The center console offered a pass-through space for added flexibility, though accessing the storage tray at floor level was awkward.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan's seating configuration varied with drivetrain options. Front-wheel-drive models seated seven, while all-wheel-drive models, including the top-trim SEL R-Line, seated five. The two-row Tiguan offered 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place and 73.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. In the three-row configuration, cargo space was reduced, but passenger space remained largely unaffected. The Tiguan provided ample headroom and legroom for front and second-row passengers, though the third row was significantly tighter. Despite this, the Tiguan was one of the few compact crossovers to offer a third row, with more legroom than the Mitsubishi Outlander.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue featured an 8-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on lower trims, while SL and Platinum models received a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless connectivity and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Rogue was the first Nissan to offer Google built-in software, integrating Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play app store directly with the infotainment system. This feature was free for five years, after which a vehicle data plan was required. The dual 12.3-inch screen setup was a significant improvement, though the touchscreen was occasionally slow to boot up. The Rogue also offered multiple USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad on higher trims. Nissan Connect Services extended its free trial period to three years, providing features like remote door lock/unlock and vehicle health reports.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan's infotainment system included haptic touch slider buttons for climate control, which were responsive and easy to use. However, the physical volume knob's integrated on/off button was sensitive and frustrating to adjust. The infotainment system relied on monochromatic graphics, accessed through an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The base Tiguan S had a 6.5-inch screen and fewer USB-C ports. Volkswagen's Digital Cockpit System was standard, with the SEL R-Line featuring a fully configurable 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro screen. The nine-speaker Fender Premium Audio System was a highlight, offering excellent sound quality.

The 2024 Nissan Rogue received favorable safety ratings, earning top "Good" scores in several IIHS crash tests and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and rear automatic emergency braking. Higher trims offered adaptive cruise control and ProPilot Assist, which added automated lane centering for highway driving. The SL and Platinum trims featured a more advanced version of ProPilot Assist, using navigation data to proactively slow for curves and interchanges.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan was a 2022 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ awardee, and its safety features improved for 2024 with the standardization of Volkswagen's IQ.DRIVE suite. This included adaptive cruise control, active blind-spot monitoring, Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. Additional standard features included rain-sensing wipers, rear cross-traffic alert, an automatic post-collision braking system, and forward collision warning with pedestrian detection. Park Distance Control became standard on the SE R-Line Black trim, though its Maneuver Braking feature was considered intrusive.